Electronic devices come in many different shapes and sizes. Advances in technology result in ever more powerful electronic devices (in terms of processing power, storage, and battery life). As electronic devices become more powerful, they tend to generate more heat. For example, processors, wireless transceivers, and display screens all generate heat. Additionally, electronic devices are used in a multitude of environments and activities. Such environments and activities expose electronic devices to a wide range of environmental temperatures.
If electronic devices get too hot or too cold, performance may degrade (e.g., they may become less efficient), components may become damaged, and/or surfaces may become uncomfortable to hold or operate. Thus, designers typically design electronic devices to minimize their exposure to extreme temperatures. To do this, designers rely on knowledge of thermal conductivity characteristics of various materials. However, existing thermal measurement techniques are unable to measure thermal conductivity of certain components.